Apparatus for making wheel covers



Sept. 21, 1954 G. A. LYON APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5. 1949 In V E17 181 eozgevltbert Lyon 5 m /Ww s Sept. 21, 1954 LYON 2,689,539

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS Filed Feb. 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2HtL s Sept. 21, 1954 I LYQN 2,689,539

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS Filed Feb. 5. 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Z22 VEIIZ ar' Geqzge ai'tbert 113012 Patented Sept. 2 1954 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS George Albert Lyon,Detroit, Mich. Application February 5, 1949, Serial No. 74,798

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for makingwheel covers and more particularly relates to a sheet; metal pressing ordrawing die assembly adapted for making wheel covers of the large disktype.

An important object of the present invention is to provide improvedapparatus for making sheet metal articles such as wheel covers and whichis readily interchangeable with respect to certain portions of theapparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide in apparatus for drawingsheet metal articles such as wheel covers improved means for drawingcertain portions of a sheet metal blank to a predetermined standardshape while other portions of the blank can be drawn to variousselective shapesv A further object of the invention is to provide asheet metal drawing die assembly having selectively interchangeableportion According to the general features of the present invention thereis provided in apparatus for drawing sheet metal blanks in the formationof articles such as wheel covers, an assembly in-- cluding upper andlower die sections, each of the die sections comprising a plurality ofcircular interfitting members cooperating to provide a forming surfacecomplementary to the forming surface provided by the other section ofthe die assembly, certain of said members being removable andreplaceable in each of the die sections.

According to other general features of the invention there is providedin a sheet metal drawing die assembly upper and lower separable diesections for receiving therebetween a sheet metal blank to be drawn,each of said sections including an annular outer pressing ring portionand a central crown portion, the crown portion in each instance being inthe form of replaceable plug structure, whereby the crown portion of theblank can be given various selective contours by selection andreplacement of the plug structures of the die sections.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of certainpreferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a sheet metal drawing dieapparatus assembly embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view like Figure 1 but showing the dieassembly in a different operative relation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional 2 Claims. (Cl. 113-49) viewsimilar to Figure 1 but showing a different crown forming structure inthe die assembly; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing by way of illustration how thesame marginal formation can be combined with various crown formations bythe use of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

Apparatus embodying the features of the invention comprises a drawingdie assembly including an upper section II] and a lower section H. Theupper section 19 as is customary with dies of this character isvertically reciprocable relative to the lower section I I so that asheet metal blank It! may be interposed between the die sections anddrawn to shape.

According to the present invention the upper and lower die'sections l0and II, respectively, are so constructed and related that variouscomplementary portions of the die sections are selectively replaceableso that a variety of different production shapes are attaintbale. Thisis especially desirable in the mass production of a plurality ofdifierent styles or configurations of drawn sheet metal articles such asvehicle wheel covers in which either the inner or crown portion or themarginal portion of the finished article will vary substantially incross-sectional shape in various cover designs while the remainder ofthe cover may remain the same throughout a series of designs. To thisend, the central or crown portion of each of the die sections, as wellas the marginal portion of each of the die sections is constructed to bereplaceable.

Having reference to Figures 1 and 2, the upper die section l0. includesa margin shaping and hold down die ring I2 which is formed complementaryto and cooperates with die rings I3 and i l of the lower die section II.A crown forming plug structure l5 of the upper die section is providedwith complementary contour to and cooperates with a lower die plugstructure H. In the operation of the die sections a sheet metal blank I8is drawn to shape.

Means are provided for reciprocably actuating the marginal forming ringdie portion l2 relative to the crown forming plug structure I5. Hereinsuch means comprises a reciprocable ram member I 9 of a press assemblyto which is attached a die head. ring 29 carrying the forming and holddown die ring 12. A seating groove 2! in the lower inner; marginalportion of the member 20 centers the ring die I2 and a clamping ring 22engages a retaining flange 23 on the ring member I2 and is secured tothe die member .26 by means of screws 24.

On its lower face, the forming die ring I2 is shaped to aiford thedesired configuration for the margin of the blank [8 as indicated at 25.The radially outer portion of the forming surface 25 is provided by aring member 27 set into a rabbet groove 23 in the lower face of the ringmember i2 and removably secured by means of screws 28.

The lower ring die member i3 slidably encircles the lower ring diemember l4 and serves not only to cooperate in forming a hold downrelation with the upper die member I2 but also serves as a stripper. Tothis end, the die member l3 is thinner or of lower elevation than theinner 'die member 14 and is arranged to be lifted by a series ofstripper pins 30 slidably'guided for vertical reciprocation inrespective bores 3| in a die set plate 32 removably mounted upon a diebase block 33 supported by a press bed 34. Actuating plungers 35 engagethe lower ends of the stripper pins 3'0. At thecomrnen'cement of adrawing operation or while the die assembly is idle, the lower die ringmember I3 is supported by the pins 39 in the'elevated position shown indash outline in Figure l, to which position the die member i3 is movedatthe end of a drawing operation for blank stripping purposes and toreceive a subsequent blank to be drawn.

The lower inner marginforming ring die member Hi has an annular upwardlyprotruding rounded forming surface complementary to the forming surface25 of the upper ring die member and cooperative at its radially outerside with a downwardly extending annular rib-like forming projection ison the upper ring die l2 which in operation cooperates with an annularupper inner marginal groove 39 in the lower ring die member is forpressing an annular rib in the blank.

In operation the upper ring die member 12 presses the margin of theblank to shape and into hold down relation to the lower ring die member[3 and the inner ring die member l5, both of the lower ring'die membersbottoming against the die plate 32. This forms the margin of the blankto be desired contour, and the blank is then held while the crownforming plug structures i and l? of the die assembly operate to shapethe central crown portion of the blank. Screws 43 secure the innermarginal ring die member M to the die plate 32.

For supporting the upper crown forming die plug structure 15, a dieblock or plated! is secured to a reciprocable ram 42 removably as bymeans of screws 43.

Various crown contours are formed by the plug structure !5 and for thispurpose the plug structure I5 includes a central plug portion 44 socuredto the die block '4! by means of screws 45 and having a marginal formingface recess within which is carried a ring diemember 51 secured to thedie member 44 by means of screws 48. Annularly surrounding the centralportion of the plug assembly is a ring die member 19 which is secured bymeans of screws 55 to the die block 4!.

The lower die plug structure ll comprises die elements complementary tothe several component elements of the die plug l5. Thus, a central diemember 51 is arranged to cooperate with the die member -44, a ring diemember 52 cooperates with the ring die 41, and a ringdie 53 00- operateswith the ring the 49. The ring dies 52 and 53 are secured to the dieblock or plate 32 by means of screws 53, thedie plate 32 having a tionsof the covers.

central recess 55 for supporting the die members 52 and 53 in accuratelycentered position.

By preference the central lower die member 5| serves also as a stripperand is thus slidably Vertically reciprocable within the ring die member52, having a stem 5'! depending therefrom and secured thereto by meansof a screw 53. The stem has a vertical slot 59 through which extends ahorizontal reciprocal limit pin 55 carried rigidly by a stem guidingtube El concentrically secured to and depending through the die base 33.The die pin 51 is normally urged upwardly by a stripper spring 62 tocarry the die and stripper member 5| upwardly to stripping position asshown in Figure 1.

In operation, after the margin forming and hold down die members haveengaged and clamped the margin of the blank E8, the ram 42 is depressedto bring the die plug structure l5 into crown shaping cooperation withthe lower die plug structure I? as shown in Figure 2. When the upper diesection I0 is raised following the blank forming or drawing operation,the lower outer die ring l3 and the central die plug men ber 5| areelevated to strip the formed blank and raise the same to a positionwherein the formed blank can'be conveniently removed from the dieassembly.

In Figure 3 is shown a drawing die assembly which in the margin formingportion is substantially the same as the'assernbly of Figures 1 and 2but shows how a different central or crown design can be attained in ablank which will provide a cover having a standardized marginalformation but a diiferent crown shape or design. Elements in the form ofFigure 3 which are substantially identical to elements in the form ofFigure 1 are identified by the same reference numerals. Thus, an upperdie section iii while having the same marginal forming die arrangementas in the form of Figure 1, has a different crown forming plug structureincluding a forming plate member 65 secured by screws to die block :31and having a peripheral form rim 5'! cooperative with a stationary ringdie 68 of a lower stationary die section ii. Car-- ried by thedie platemember 35, is a central die .plug member 69 removably secured as bymeans of screws 70 and having a convex forming surface contourcooperative with a lower formnig and stripper die member 10 as well as aring die H carried fixedly by the lower die plate 32. The lower "ringdie member 38 is fixedly secured to the die plate 32 as by means ofscrews l2 and serves as a guide for the reciprocal outer marginalforming-die and stripper member i3 with which the upper hold down andmargin forming die l-2 cooperates. The ring die 55 also cooperateswith'the upper forming die 2 in forming the margin of the blank.

It will thus be apparent that very substantial savings can be eifectedin die costs in the production of drawn sheet metal articles wheremerely one portion of the design of a series of similar articles differsfrom the design of other articles in the series. For example, havingmore particular reference to Figure 4, in the production of wheel coversof the kind that are used on the outer side of automobile wheels,various models or makes of automobiles may use the same general type ofcover but may, for various reasons such as differentiation, requiredifferences in the design of the more prominent por- Obviously, thecrown portion of a Wheel cover is generally the center of ornamentalinterest. By use of the present invention a standard marginal formationM can be determined upon and an infinite variety of crown designs C canbe had .within the bounds of a division line D as determined by theinterchangeable die plug structures for forming the crown portion, ashereinabove described. On the other hand, different marginal formationsM may be had with respect to any standard or series of crown designsmerely by changing the margin forming die structures. Furthermore,certain features of the crown shape can be maintained as standardthrough a series of wheel covers while other features can be changed byselection of particular portions of the crown plug structures of the diesections, as indicated in connection with Figure 1.

Numerous advantages accrue from the use of the present invention, amongwhich may be mentioned the great savings in die costs for variousdesigns since only selected portions of the die assembly need bedifferent for each production run of any particular design while theremaining portions of the die remain the same. In making a change in theforming structures of the die assembly, the entire assembly need not beremoved from the press but only such portions of the die sections, asfor example the central plug structures or the marginal formingstructures or some portion of either of such structures as may berequired to effect the change, thereby saving much time in die set-up.Moreover, relatively small production runs can be economically madebecause of the foregoing factors of economy and speed in die costs andset-up.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a die apparatus for making wheel covers of fixed marginal shape,an upper die assembly, a lower die assembly, said die assemblies havingcircumferential portions of fixed shape for holding and forming themarginal portions of a wheel cover blank placed therebetween and havingcentral portions thereof constituting replaceable die forming elementsfor forming variously shaped crown portions in said wheel cover blank,the replaceable die forming elements of the lower die assembly defininga central opening, a reciprocable plunger die member slidably guided insaid opening, a stem depending from said plunger die member, avertically extending slot in said stem, a sleeve mounted below saidlower die assembly within which said stem is slidingly guided, limitingmeans fixed relative to said sleeve and disposed in said slot, andbiasing means acting on the stem, whereby said last mentioned means actto normally bias the plunger into stripping relation to said lower dieassembly when said upper die assembly is raised and said limiting meanscooperate with said slot to define the limits of reciprocation of saidplunger.

2. In die apparatus for making wheel covers, separably cooperable dieassemblies, one of said die assemblies having a central opening, areciprocable stripper die member slidably guided in said opening, a stemextending from said stripper die member opposite to the cover-engagingend of said member, a longitudinally extending slot in said stem, asleeve mounted in fixed coaxial relation to said stem and within whichsaid stem is slidably guided, limiting means fixed relative to saidsleeve and disposed in said slot, and means acting on the stem normallyto bias the. stem and plunger into stripping relation to said one dieassembly when the other die assembly is separated therefrom, saidlimiting means cooperating with said stem in said slot to define thelimits of reciprocation of said stem and stripper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 539,896 Graves May 28, 1895 1,336,388 Youngberg Apr. 6, 19201,534,822 Winter Apr. 21, 1925 1,772,914 Rode Aug. 12, 1930 1,849,669Glasner Mar. 15, 1932 1,849,670 Glasner et a1 Mar. 15, 1932 1,884,708Jeneson Oct. 25, 1932 1,989,827 Seidel Feb. 5, 1935 2,325,161 GoodwinJuly 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,376 Australia of1935 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 366,470, Kammerling (A. P. 0.), publishedMay 11, 1943.

